


& in the stars we find a peace

by minoiresque



Category: Coraline (2009), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Other, also this is more like... mutual respect, based off that one rotg dream i had after rewatching it last year, coraline vc fuck you shadow man, pitch vc this tiny gremlin is brave. hm., they're not really friends nor found family nor enemies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 17:51:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18320282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minoiresque/pseuds/minoiresque
Summary: she strikes a deal in the darkness, her sanity for a story. & he decides to take it.





	& in the stars we find a peace

“ what will you give me in return? ”

voice ancient, crooning, shadows that tickle blue hair / dragonfly pin / ear. she understands full & well that this is not a scenario she can — will — win, yet that does nothing to unwavering determination. she has faced monsters scarier then him before, has cheated death ( or nearly did ) as a child. & though she is  _still_ a child now, it makes no difference.  _she can do this_.

“ a story, ” she says carefully, words trying & heavy on her tongue. “ over the next three days, i will tell a story. ” three is her magic number, her good luck charm; though, she has not forgotten how easy stories are divided into three. how adventures can be the beginning the middle & the end with much more ease then realized.

shadows pause, in the impossible darkness. air is still as looming figure steps out of it; a sudden appearance, of a man wrapped in stars with ash skin & gold eyes. thin, though not starved. power ripples around him & never has she been more afraid. though, she finds herself sacred of button eyes & hands of needles & the desperation to get  _out_ —

“ a deal, ” he says, extending hand. yet she steps back, brows furrowed & mouth pressed into a line.

“ swear on it, ” she says instead ( too familiar with other worldly games, life & death in her hands ). “ i swear it on ... on my parents. ” she should not be bargaining them after trying so hard to win them back, should choose the house or the neighbors instead, but she knows she couldn’t ( & the cat is out of the question, absolutely, because if she should be selfish the cat is the one she will be selfish for ). still, she lets loose a shaky breath at the idea of losing them. she understands that there is no reason; that she  _will_ have to keep to her end of her bargain anyways. there are no loopholes for her.

( that doesn't mean  _cheating_ is absolutely out, though. the thought scares her, of being found out more then the act itself. )

a pause. the man narrows his eyes, & her reality warps. darkness flickers & white specks — stars? — sweep in & out, before he grins & everything is back to being still. “ i swear it on my life. ” hand reaches out again & this time she takes it; & it is strong, callused, nothing that she expected. him, an entity that seemed far  _older_ then he seemed, with skin afflicted the same way as humans? unlikely.

( though that makes her wonder if he was something else before this, had been different. had a different job then terrorizing children with fears that they'd rather not think about. )

a shake later & he is grinning, hand back behind his back where form blends with shadows. " we have a deal, dear coraline. " wolfish grin sets her on edge, as hand finds safety in the confines of her pocket & the smooth surface of green stone. " i hope i sworn well, or to your standards =. " tilt of his head as form hunches over, & it's all she can do to keep from stepping back. stepping  _away_.

but somewhere, amidst the shadows, there’s a voice that sings  _should have chosen your daughter your daughter daughter daughter daughter —_

— she swears he scowls at that.


End file.
